


chivalrous as always

by Shaicarus



Series: dawn of the final day [1]
Category: Persona 5
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Not Beta Read, Set during the third semester, Some Spoilers, Swearing, Too bad Crow's his only option, joker needs a hug
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-18
Updated: 2020-08-18
Packaged: 2021-03-06 04:55:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,521
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25977811
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shaicarus/pseuds/Shaicarus
Summary: Crow reaches up with one hand, catching Joker’s chin again. Still leaning up on one elbow, getting their eyes to meet is easier this time.“You’re an idiot.”Joker rolls his eyes. “You’ve always had such a way with words, Crow,” he deadpans, starting to pull away. Before he can, Crow shifts his hand back, fingers instead clasping behind Joker’s neck, holding him in place.
Relationships: Akechi Goro & Amamiya Ren, Akechi Goro & Kurusu Akira, Akechi Goro & Persona 5 Protagonist
Series: dawn of the final day [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1911370
Comments: 7
Kudos: 133





	chivalrous as always

**Author's Note:**

> so I've barely written Joker and I've never written Crow before, and I've definitely never written Violet, but whatever here is my humble offering
> 
> when I was playing through the new semester and realized that basically everyone would have had to have forgotten WHY exactly they knew Joker, I became irrationally convinced that he was just going to gradually fade out of existence? so here's some rambling about that
> 
> and I suck at titles, whoops

It’s a small comment that does it. Something stupid. Crow doesn’t even remember the specifics; it was an entirely pointless jab. He was just being catty, enough that even he can admit it. Just pushing Joker’s buttons for the sake of it.

He has it coming when Joker decks him in the face. His head snaps back, and Crow manages a _very_ eloquent, “ _Shitfuckingsonofabitch_ ,” as he stumbles into the elevator door behind him.

He has it coming. If not for the comment itself, then for countless other things.

Nevertheless, it’s not the sort of thing he can just let go.

They stare at each other for a moment afterward. Joker, eyes wide behind his mask, mostly looks surprised at his own outburst. Violet stands just of to the side, dithering with her hands partially raised in front of her, as if she considered trying to physically separate them before deciding it would be a _very_ bad idea. It’s just the three of them for now, and Crow can concede it’s a good thing; if any of the others were present, they would definitely try to take Crow out at the knees for what’s about to follow.

Joker opens his mouth. Probably to apologize. He’s got that sort of look about him.

Crow lunges for him before he can. They scuffle in place for a moment, hands locked together, before Joker’s back slams into the wall. He sweeps Crow’s legs out from under him, but Crow latches onto his arms, claws digging into dark fabric, and both of them wind up in a heap on the floor, scrabbling about like a pair of rats in a gutter.

“Oh! Joker-senpai! Crow!” Violet takes half a step closer to them before thinking better of it. “Stop, stop, stop! We don’t have time for this!” The words have no impact on the scuffle at her feet. “Boys! You’re both being ridiculous!” Finally, she stomps one foot and retreats a few feet out of range.

Still, it’s a brief skirmish. After a few moments, Joker slams Crow’s shoulders down onto the tile floor and they come to a halt, his knees bracketing Crow’s hips. They’re both quiet, save for their breathing.

Crow’s eyes narrow, irritation turning searching. He lifts a hand and catches Joker’s chin between his fingers. “You look exhausted,” he states plainly, turning Joker’s face first one way and then the other.

Joker sags like he’s just been scolded, sitting back on his heels, most of his weight landing on Crow’s thighs. Reluctantly, he nods, pulling his chin from Crow’s hold as he does.

Crow inspects him for a moment longer, claws clicking against the floor as he drums his fingers. “May I ask a question?”

“You’re going to anyway,” Joker sighs.

“Is there...any particular reason it’s just the three of us in the vanguard right now?” Crow asks, something like his past pleasant tone seeping in, because getting under Joker’s skin isn’t really something he can just turn on and off like a light switch.

Joker makes a low noise, not words or even syllables, but a demand to drop the subject all the same. Crow continues to stare up at him expectantly.

“I’m just dealing with some complicated feelings, alright?”? Joker snaps. “That last few days have been a lot, and my therapist’s become a deluded pseudo-god, so there’s a lot to unpack on my own.”

“You do recall that your rabbits returned from the looking glass, yes?” Crow points out dryly. “Were you _truly_ so convinced that they wouldn’t?” Not to say that Crow had believed in them. He hadn’t, even remotely. But Joker is a particular breed of unshakable.

Joker shakes his head tightly, shoulders rounding defensively. He pulls his arms in, hands fisting against his legs. Shoulders thusly released, Crow props himself up on his elbows.

“It’s only partly about that,” Joker admits guiltily. “It’s stupid and irrational and...kind of selfish, probably?”

“The suspense is killing me,” Crow returns blandly. Joker scowls at him half-heartedly, but the expression melts away soon enough.

“This is all because of cognition,” he points out, as if Crow has somehow forgotten. “This reality, I mean. And yeah, knowing I talked them out of their dream reality makes me feel like a jackass, but also…” He pauses, eyes drifting to the side as he puts the words together. “All of their perfect worlds erase the reasons I would have met them. Before he came to his senses, Ryuji couldn’t even remember how we met.”

Crow tips his head to the side, picking up on the words that Joker isn’t really saying. “How long were you expecting to just cease existing?” he asks, eyes narrowing again.

(Violet muffles a low, distraught, “ _Oh, Senpai…_ ” behind her hands.)

“Pretty much from the first day to when they showed up in the palace,” Joker admits, voice a mumble, like he’s ashamed of it. “Haven’t been sleeping so great.”

Crow reaches up with one hand, catching Joker’s chin again. Still leaning up on one elbow, getting their eyes to meet is easier this time.

“You’re an idiot.”

Joker rolls his eyes. “You’ve always had such a way with words, Crow,” he deadpans, starting to pull away. Before he can, Crow shifts his hand back, fingers instead clasping behind Joker’s neck, holding him in place.

“You’re an idiot,” Crow reiterates. “ _I_ remember exactly who you are and where we’ve been. Even if the rest of them had truly forgotten, then I would have brute-forced my way through whatever tattered fabric this reality is pieced together from to drag you back by your fucking ankles, because you are _not allowed_ to leave me to shovel this shit with your imbecilic friends on my own.” His claws tighten at the back of Joker’s neck for a second, before easing once again. He smiles, placid and rehearsed. “Have I made myself clear?”

Joker’s eyes are wide. His jaw goes tight and he swallows. His fists tighten against his legs until the fabric of his pants begins to crease. “Crystal,” he manages, voice shaking. Crow can practically hear him grinding his teeth, but still his composure is slipping away like sand in an egg timer.

Crow slides a look toward Violet. “Would you go waylay the stunt doubles?” he asks pleasantly, in much the same way he used to speak to television hosts. “I’m sure you can think of a plausible excuse.”

She hesitates a moment, gaze darting back and forth between the two of them. And then she nods, shoulders straightening as she offers, “R-right,” and trots back the way they came. Less of an imbecile than the others, then, maybe.

And it’s just Crow and Joker. Crow’s expression evens back out to bland neutrality. “Something here is going to happen,” he reasons plainly. “We both know my opinion of you is as low as it can go, so your theatrics are wasted. Just get it over with and we can be done with it.”

With permission granted, what is visible of Joker’s expression crumples and he makes a low, wounded noise. He folds in on himself, nearly folding himself in half and bringing a hand up over his head, like he’s trying to hide. His other hand grips Crow’s wrist.

Crow had expected...a bit more of a production? But, though Joker’s shoulders tremble, he’s virtually silent. But his grip on Crow's wrist is tight enough to damn near feel it through the gauntlet, and every so often he makes a quiet noise like a wounded animal.

What a sorry sight.

Eventually, Violet peers back around the corner at them, her expression urgent. Because of course the rest of the cattle can’t just mind their own goddamn business. He supposes the few minutes Violet’s bought them will have to be enough.

He squeezes the back of Joker’s neck. Slowly, Joker sits back up, letting Crow’s hand fall away as he does. He shoves his mask up into his hair to aggressively scrub his gloves over his eyes, before he gets to his feet. He squeezes the bridge of his nose between two fingers, with the pinched expression of someone now nursing a headache. Nevertheless, he offers his free hand down to Crow.

“How chivalrous,” Crow drawls blandly, even as he accepts the hand and lets himself be hauled back upright.

“I mean, I am the one who knocked you on your ass to begin with,” Joker points out, voice rough. There’s a beat. “And punched you. Sorry.”

Crow rolls his eyes as emphatically as he can. “Try not to patronize me,” he grouses before he turns and starts walking once more. “Come on. They’ll be around the corner in a moment and you still look like shit.”

Joker heaves a slow sigh and lets his mask fall back into place. “Charming as ever,” he offers as he falls into step behind Crow, the sound of Violet’s heels loping after them.

This is probably going to turn into a conversation later. This sort of emotional glurge always does. But Crow supposes he can burn that bridge when they get to it.

**Author's Note:**

> as you can see, I still don't know how to...end things, so it just...stops.
> 
> anyway, come poke me on [tumblr](https://shaicarus.tumblr.com/) if you wanna chat


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